The Gold Line construction authority unanimously voted last week to start eminent domain proceedings to acquire 14 acres of land owned by Monrovia’s Redevelopment Agency for the light rail project’s maintenance and operations yard.

Despite objections from Monrovia officials, the board decided it was necessary to start eminent domain to acquire the land and keep the project on schedule, said Lisa Levy Buch, spokeswoman of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Construction Authority.

The step comes as Monrovia’s deal to sell the land, at the southeast corner of the 210 Freeway and California Avenue, to the construction authority is in jeopardy because of the state Legislature’s decision earlier this year to eliminate redevelopment agencies.

“We are always hopeful that in these cases we will be able to negotiate an agreement that doesn’t require us to complete the condemnation process; however, at this point the redevelopment agency is not able to negotiate,” Buch said.

If eminent domain is used to acquire the land, it could cost Monrovia more than $20 million, raising alarm from city officials who say the procedure is not necessary.

“As we have said all along, we will fight them in eminent domain proceedings,” Mayor Mary Ann Lutz said. “We don’t think it’s appropriate that the Gold Line be built on the backs of our city.”

The construction authority is offering $17.3 million for the land under eminent domain rather than the $41.6 million the two entities have already negotiated, city officials have said.

Lutz said the move sends a negative message to the community that the construction authority is not going to uphold its previously negotiated deal.

Buch, however, noted that moving forward on eminent domain “does not negate the option of negotiating” with the city in the future.

Monrovia officials and the construction authority agreed in July to a total purchase price of $41.6 million for the land but the city and its redevelopment agency have not been able to approve the agreement as a result of a state Supreme Court stay. The order bars redevelopment agencies from entering into new agreements while they consider a number of lawsuits regarding the ability of redevelopment agencies to continue to exist and conduct business.

The purchase offer included about $28 million for reimbursing land acquisition costs, $11.5million in lost tax revenues and $2.1 million in other acquisition costs and fees.

Also on hold is another agreement the two entities negotiated for about $16 million for improvements to city infrastructure as a result of the maintenance yard.

If the state Supreme Court opposes eliminating redevelopment agencies and opposes allowing them to pay an annual fee to avoid elimination, the city could proceed and would likely place on its agenda the purchase and sale agreement in February, Monrovia City Manager Scott Ochoa said.

If the court favors allowing redevelopment agencies to pay to avoid elimination, the agency could proceed but would have to pay $1 million up front and $250,000 each year afterward to remain in business, he said.

If the Supreme Court rules redevelopment agencies out of existence and the city of Monrovia becomes the successor agency regarding the former agency’s assets, Ochoa said the negotiated deal could still move forward.

However, there would be some uncertainty for the construction authority since an oversight committee – whose decisions would be subject to review by the state Department of Finance – could overrule decisions made by the Monrovia City Council, he said.

Lutz said there is no reason for the construction authority to panic since city officials have options for the various scenarios.

The city has already drafted legislation with its lobbyists, she said, to carve out the project from the redevelopment area, if needed, so that it can move forward.

Brenda Gazzar is a multilingual multimedia reporter who has worked for a variety of news outlets in California and in the Middle East since 2000. She has covered a range of issues, including breaking news, immigration, law and order, race, religion and gender issues, politics, human interest stories and education. Besides the Los Angeles Daily News and its sister papers, her work has been published by Reuters, the Denver Post, Ms. Magazine, the Jerusalem Post, USA Today, the Christian Science Monitor, the Los Angeles Jewish Journal, The Cairo Times and others. Brenda speaks Spanish, Hebrew and intermediate Arabic and is the recipient of national, state and regional awards, including a National Headliners Award and one from the Associated Press News Executives' Council. She holds a dual master's degree in Communications/Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.

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